Leucoderma patients pin hope on ayurvedic drug

New Delhi: As the country is gearing up to observe International Vitiligo Day on June 25, the patients of leucoderma pinning hope on herbal drugs to manage the disease as Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) developed ayurvedic medicine is finding greater acceptance among patients suffering from the skin ailment of white patches – a social stigma in the country.

The herbal drug Lukoskin has also brought accolades to DRDO's scientist Hemant Pande, who was conferred with prestigious 'science award' on National Technology Day by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for developing the ayurvedic medicine.

While talking about lukoskin, Pande, who heads herbal medicine division of the DRDO's Defence Institute of Bio-energy Research (DIBER), Pithoragarh, said, "Presently, there are various remedies of vitiligo such as allopathic, surgical and adjunctive, but none of these therapies has satisfactorily cure of this disease."

"The other remedies are either costly or single molecule based with very low efficacy. As it develops side-effects like blister, edema, irritation in the skin, most of the patients discontinue the treatment," said Pande.

The herbal drug, which is manufactured by AIMIL Pharma, is developed using Himalayan herbs by exhaustive scientific studies and the medicine is available in the form of ointment and oral liquid.

Incidences of leucoderma in India is around 4-5 per cent in some parts of Rajasthan and in Gujarat it's more than 5-8 per cent.